TomTom 700 in Spain - A joke that isn't funny

Paul5464 · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 09, 2006 Posts: 2

I've owned the 700 for about 4 months and have been pretty pleased with it around London and the south of England. However, I have just returned from 4 days in the Cataluynia region of Spain and feel very disappointed in the TomTom's performance, especially as it is so few months old.

On one occasion, it directed me down a dirt track which led off a sign to a cemetary having diverted me off a main road (why it did this when in London it sticks to main roads come what may). On every drive I came across roadabouts that aren't listed, towns with ring road systems that weren't there, roundabouts where I was told to take the second exit when in fact the 'first' exit was blocked off and looked like it had been for some years. Even the points of interest were inaccurate - The pre programed PoI details for a well known hotel I was to stay at in the town of Tortossa were incorrect and the TomTom led me down a narrow street in the old town only to turn a corner into a further street that was barred to pedestrians and had, once again, been so for some time. The list goes on. Especially disappointing as I was in an area of Spain near famous places like Barcelona and the coast line of the Costa Brava where the roads should be well travelled and many tourists go.

I think it is a disgrace that TomTom market this product as providing Western European door to door guidance when quite clearly this isn't the case in Spain. At best it is in an indicative guide to roughly the right direction. I paid extra for the 700 because I wanted more, and feel I should have just paid for the 500 which would have got me to major towns in Europe anyway.

Paul

gadget_sa · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:36 pm Post subject:

I hear you Paul, had the same experience myself in the Golithian Region.. dirt roads, roundabouts POI's exactly as you say!!

Had mine for 7 months now, overall I'm pleased, but was also gutted after two months of owning when I went to Ireland! Completely useless!!
_________________
Steve

iPhone 6 with Western Europe & CamerAlert

TuurG · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:50 pm Post subject:

gadget_sa · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 12:50 pm Post subject:

stustaff · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 27, 2006 Posts: 28

Im taking my 910 to spain soon so will let you know how I get on

gadget_sa · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:38 am Post subject:

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

The dirt track route is a problem in other European countries too. I found that in rural parts of Germany I was offered routes along a road that was tarmac-ed, but went to a "No vehilcles excet forest workers" sign - and then disappeared through the trees.

I would check the route with the paper map and add an "avoid part of route" if I thought I needed to. The extra preparation saved time overall.
_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps

gadget_sa · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:54 pm Post subject:

Delski · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 05, 2006 Posts: 11

gadget_sa · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:50 am Post subject:

Doesn't sound too great Del.
It would be worthwhile posting something up with more detail, I'm sure theres interested parties on here.

Looks like we are all waiting for better maps then, as for your refresh rate, sounds like an issue if it's caused that sort of problem.
_________________
Steve

iPhone 6 with Western Europe & CamerAlert

jeff261159 · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 2:46 pm Post subject:

Got back yesterday from a 2 week stay on the costs del sol, took my TT700 with me and must say I ws very impressed. Took in a day trip to seville via ronda on the way and via malaga on the way back, no problems with finding car parks and other useful POI's. No problem with the mount sagging either! I guess I must be lucky!

Paul5464 · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 09, 2006 Posts: 2

Thank you for everyone's comments and also a sense of shared frustration from a few as well.

I don't mind if things don't do everything, it's just that this should be flagged up more clearly at the point of sale....

If the new 710 and 910 offer greater accuracy in mapping terms, will we be able to download those maps onto the 700? I will also be interested in anyone's stories of how they get on with a 710/910 outside the UK. Has anyone tried it in the United States?

I guess what I learnt is that when in Spain if the device directs you down a road that 'doesn't look good' (i.e. small / off a main road when you know you aren't near you destination etc), then simply don't take it and plough on using the main road. It will then probably recalculate to something more sensible.

One good side - I downloaded the 'european' speed camera locations from this website and I would says those particular POIs in the part of Spain I was visiting were always accurate!

Paul

nascar9 · Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:49 pm Post subject:

I'm thinking of buying maps of Spain but not sure reading this.
gadget_sa you say the coverage of Spain is up to 99%.
I take it that is on new/updated maps.
Is there a product code so that I can be certain to get the 99% coverage ones.

lloydd · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 04, 2006 Posts: 17

I bought the Iberian map and downloaded it from the TomTom site. Now I'm spending my sunday trying to make this work. The TomTom Home installs the map but when I check the SD stick after I see that there are only few files transported to the stick. In the end I do not get this card running on my TT510 Sad

In few days we will going on holidays in Spain but I don't think that I can enjoy this Euro 60 map Evil or Very Mad

If I install the map (using the exe.file which comes with it) to a empty SD stick it works but as soon as I put back my Italian map with Europe main streets I will not see the Iberian map in the change map menu.

So I made a copy of this clean installation of Iberian and added it to the working Italian map. I found the Spanish map but as soon as I click on it to change map my TT freezes!!!! Twisted Evil

Anybody got a Idea

for me??

Thx.

LLoydd

JockTamsonsBairn · Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:23 am Post subject:

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